Remember how my computer would no longer play videos very well? Well, nothing worked, so I took it to the shop on Monday, and when I went back today even though it had been wiped and had new hardware installed it still wasn't working. Apparently it's kicked the bucket.

G-d willing I will get another one some time next week and be back with you. It's been rough with no FR and no net for a solid week, though I suppose a little vacation from the Internet isn't a bad thing.

I can't tell you exactly when I'll be back on (I'm at the local library right now), but hope you won't forget me during this lacuna.

I spent a lot of time (one hour at a time of course, per day) at the various libraries near where I used to live, back when I had connection issues (iow, I was flat broke and ripped through my allocation on those free ad-supported dialup services that were around in the 1990s). Sucked, but of course, I was getting more exercise then, so...

Maybe Linux on an inexpensive (under $100) replacement board for your existing CPU box (or use the existing hard drive, if that’s still working, and the OS on there) would be an option?

Don't listen to that advice! Windows 8 is just fine. A few hours learning curve for 90% of what you do. The other 10% may take a few days. Plus, it works really, really well on both new and old machines.

I had issues with my PC last year (W7 64 bit) not playing video and audio files well. I'd get glitches and buzzes and pauses and stuff. I bought a Blu-ray drive for the purpose of backing up files before re-formatting the machine. I had googled it over and over and could not find a solution short of a clean sweep. However, at some point, I noticed some programs like search engines that I had not installed. So, as I googled how to get rid of them, I found programs that help get rid of malware and PUPs (potentially unwanted programs).

These PUPs are frequently trojans that interfere with normal PC operations. Sometimes the install as ried-alongs with other programs you install. After I cleaned these trojans off my machine, I was able to play videos and audio again, and my PC shuts down in around 15 seconds instead of several minutes. I ended up not feeling the need to reformat after all.

34
posted on 03/28/2014 1:04:56 PM PDT
by Sans-Culotte
(Psalm 14:1 ~ The fool says in his heart, There is no God.)

That’s true, a “live-USB” image can be d/l’ed and installed right onto a memory stick. Costco has four packs of the SanDisk “facet” drives, 8 gb, for $22 or something, and I needed them for a small project at work. I found a drive cloner which was in fact Clonezilla; and I found a program that installs the ISO image file right onto the flash drive (and it works, which is a nice change from other times I’ve tried it). So the Clonezilla image went from a file on one flash drive to the only contents of another, and I booted the Clonezilla to clone the drive of a small embedded system before fiddling with it. I love the portability, and by carrying one drive with the programs and archives and another one as the object drive, I have options. :’)

Don't listen to that advice! Windows 8 is just fine. A few hours learning curve for 90% of what you do. The other 10% may take a few days. Plus, it works really, really well on both new and old machines.

It doesn't do well with dial up, HughesNet, or any limited usage service where bandwidth usage is limited. Microcraps CLOUD and other non closable functions have to talk with the world.

For Tablet and Microsoft program users who love X-Box for them W 8 may be great. For an average longtime desktop user? No it's highly annoying. The best feature of W 8 they let users keep? Control+Alt + Delete which after a few minutes of frustration you'll use to close many programs Microcrap forgot to put the handy "X" on the screen to close it.

38
posted on 03/28/2014 8:52:42 PM PDT
by cva66snipe
((Two Choices left for U.S. One Nation Under GOD or One Nation Under Judgment? Which one say ye?))

I'm neither an Xbox user nor a programmer. Yes, I can operate a tablet with no issues, thank you. I am a longtime desktop user. Yes, there are some differences between XP and 8 in the way you use them but they are no problem once you get the hang of it. My almost 80 year old father in law can operate it pretty well. You just have to have someone show you the "tricks" once or twice. Really, it's not rocket science. The strangest thing for most folks is when you have to move the pointer all the way OFF of the screen to do some things.

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